Rubber Tapping and demonstration at Taman Warisan Pertanian on 8th August 2010

Rubber Tapping and demotration at Taman Warisan Pertanian Putrajaya

Morning around 9am

My mum was a rubber tapper since we were young - before pre school. That why Chloe and Jonathan feel curious and wish to know more on their grandmother.

A story about my mother and their grandmother. Early in the morning around 5-6am, my mum need to get up early and go to rubber estate with a dog. (for safety purpose because she was alone in the forest!) She will be back around 2 hours later and go back to collect the rubber latex in the early afternoon.

I still remember the rubber factory nearby our house. Sure, our house was "rumah papan". Now, the rubber factory was abandon. Next, the latex was mixed with fomic acid and put it in the moulds for hours before turning into hard sheets. Afterward, the process will be follow by stepping on the hard sheets of rubber to squeeze out the water before rubber sheet rolled by machine. There will be another machine to make cross pattern on the rubber sheets!

I still remember my mother hard work until now. Now, we were glad that three of us had grown up and have own family. After I experience on the rubber tour, I love you more mum......

Jonathan and Chloe hope will have a chance to visit my old house on the hill next Chinese New Year when we balik kampung. They will understand my family history more and understand the concept of "Nothing come with free".

Rubber tapping and explanation on the rubber trees from Brazil to Singapore and to Malaya. The oldest rubber tree were still at Perak around 120 years old.

Chloe and Jonathan were trying on the hard rubber sheet

Next, not easy for children to turn on the machine wheel. Haha...both of them have fun!

The hard one.....finally play time with final sheets.

Rubber factory and the smoke room. After two days hanging the wet sheets of rubber under the sun and finally go in the smoke room to dry them out.

What the use of this woods? The smoke come from the burning wood from forest. Fortunately, I explained this to them. The smell was bad. hahaha....both of them run away after the first visit and stayed longer on the second visit.